Crystal River current. [volume] (Crystal, Colo.) 1886-18??, 1887-08-06
Home POliteness.


Polteness among the members of a
family is one of the requisites of tho
home life. No matter how luxurious
the home may be. it is failure If this
one feature is missing, while no matter
how humble the home, it is always Il
pleasant one where the virtue of polite
ness is practised among its people.
We have too many company man ners
and too few home ones. Some people
put on company politeness as their best
clothes, that is. for SPECIAL occasions.
and usually put it away in the same
closet. Such people never think man
mers are for everyday use, any moro
than they would think of dressing in
silks and laces to work in the kitchen.
They use the most elaborate express
sions when addressing an occasional
guest, with the idea that they arc
courteous. when the contrary is really
the case, for true courtesy is never
elaborate. The use of extrayagent eX-
preston is banned by many as Il sign
Of insincerity in the person using them.
which is by no means so in the majori-
ty OF cases. but simply habit thought
lessly formed of using superhuous ex-
pressions on the very simplest oc-
casions. Such remarks as Il shall
never forget your kindness" or .I'm
thousand times obliged to you, in re-
cognition of some slight service render
ed. seems rediculously absurd to
thoughtful person, who would much
prefer hearing Il thank you," OF 'I'm
much obliged to YOU" which. if spok-
en- simply and earnestly. will carry
more meaning than all the ex-
travagant expressions in the vocab-
ulary. Courteous people never make
extrayagant remarks, and though to
some they may appear cold in not us ng
them, they can never be accused of
insincerity.
II people would leave off using these
expressions aboad, and pay more at
tention to the use of the simpler ones
at home. it would be much pleas anter
for all concerned. They would not
think of accepting the least service
from an outsider without acknowledge
ng it, no matter how slight it may be,
yet in the home all services they ac-
cept as though their right. making not
the slightest return for such. They do
not mean to be ungrateful; they would
be indignant if you suggested such a
thing; they have been SO accustomed
to take all services rendered them in
the home, since childhood. as matter
of course, that they have never given
a thought to the acknowledgment of
such. If they would reason IL Little
while, they would very soon come to
the conclusion that they ought to have
come to long ago, that mother OF broth
er is as much pleased at 'thank YOU
as any of their friends, and certainly
is more entitled TO it.
In all homes such words as II thank
you" and ''Partlon me" should be fire.
quently used. There are always plenty
of occasions for using these expressions
which will save the home many Jar
ring note. The father comes in from,
his days work tired and little out of
sorts. for things did not go as well as
he could wish. Mother OF some one
Of the family bring his slippers to him.
He is strongly tempted to take them,
without any comment. but his better
nature comes to the front and he says.
''Thank ynu," and his i'll nature van
ishes before the brightness of espres
sion that comes over the cllild's or
mothers face at the acknowleI gcmeut
OF her simple service. The mother
has nervous headache, she wants rest,
but the baby will not go to sleep; the
father takes him and feels well repaid
with a quiet 'ttllank you" Parents
who are courteous to each other sell
dom have discourteous children, us the
little ones learn more by example til an
by precept. american Cnlicatdy.